In August 2022, authorities began tracking a group of young Hmong men with no stable employment who displayed unusually lavish lifestyles and frequently crossed into border areas. Their suspicious ties with individuals in Laos soon raised red flags. After initial verification, special operation 822L was launched.

Following more than 150 days and nights of covert surveillance, Vietnamese and Lao authorities identified 15 suspects in the transnational drug trafficking ring. On January 8, 2023, two of them, Phàn Sìn Khi and Vàng A Vá, both from Mường Toong commune (formerly Huổi Lếch commune in the old Mường Nhé district), were apprehended while transporting 28 bricks of heroin. The task force, in coordination with Vietnam’s C04 Department under the Ministry of Public Security and police forces in Phongsaly and Oudomxay provinces in Laos, carried out a cross-border pursuit and successfully arrested both suspects.

Simultaneously, in Vietnam, coordinated operations were launched along the borders of Điện Biên, Lai Châu, and Lào Cai provinces. These efforts led to the arrest of nine individuals, including ring leader Vàng A Thanh (born 1999), a resident of Si Pa Phìn commune.

Meanwhile, in Phongsaly and Oudomxay provinces of Laos, authorities captured four additional high-ranking members of the ring. Among them was Vàng A Chứ, known in Laos as Vàng A Dềnh, the mastermind behind the operation, who was arrested at his home. Seized at the scene were 38 bricks of heroin, 2kg of crystal meth, nearly 160 rounds of ammunition, an AK magazine, and various assets and documents. Under questioning, the suspects admitted to trafficking 412 heroin bricks, 28kg of opium, and 3kg of crystal meth from Laos into Vietnam between August 2022 and the time of their arrest.

On June 23, 2025, in Luang Prabang province (Laos), the Điện Biên provincial Police Department, in collaboration with Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security and Lao authorities, dismantled another transnational drug trafficking ring. Five suspects were arrested, and the authorities confiscated 31 bricks of synthetic drugs, three military-grade handguns, 21 bullets, two cars, and eight mobile phones.

Earlier, at 11:30 P.M. on June 12, 2025, in Oudomxay province, Lao authorities made another major breakthrough, catching 12 Lao nationals from Bokeo and Sayabouly provinces red-handed while they were trafficking drugs. Around 2 tons of narcotics were seized, including 1.87 tons of synthetic drugs and 124kg of ketamine, along with a variety of related evidence.

Senior Colonel Đỗ Ngọc Minh, Deputy Director of the Điện Biên provincial Police Department, who has participated in many of these operations, emphasized that today’s drug investigations are more difficult and dangerous than ever. Traffickers are increasingly sophisticated, deceptive, and violent, willing to use deadly weapons against law enforcement. Their operations are highly organized, with tasks divided into separate stages and participants often unaware of each other’s identities, complicating tracking efforts. Moreover, traffickers extensively exploit social media to direct and coordinate their cross-border activities, adding further challenges and risks to dismantling such networks.

In line with Directive No.36-CT/TW dated August 16, 2019, from the Politburo on enhancing drug prevention and control efforts as well as other related directives, resolutions, and legal documents, Điện Biên provincial Police have launched numerous high-intensity campaigns to crack down on drug crimes. In close coordination with border guards and customs officers, they have used reconnaissance and technical measures to monitor suspect activities, identify targets, and take swift action against those trafficking illegal substances.

Thanks to the high-level commitment of the entire political system, Điện Biên’s law enforcement has, since 2019, busted thousands of drug-related cases, arrested numerous suspects, and confiscated nearly 1 ton of heroin, 2.5 tons of synthetic drugs, hundreds of kilograms of opium and cannabis, along with extensive supporting evidence.

While comprehensive policing measures have brought the situation under basic control, drug-related crimes and social vices still linger. Authorities warn that traffickers are taking advantage of rugged mountainous terrain and limited legal awareness among local residents, especially ethnic minorities, to continue their activities using increasingly cunning methods.

The border region remains particularly volatile, serving as a conduit for transnational trafficking networks smuggling drugs into Vietnam. Without strict control, the area could easily see a resurgence in drug activity. This makes it more important than ever to mobilize the combined strength of the political system and public in the fight against drugs.

Colonel Lù Văn Thưởng, Head of the provincial Drug Crime Investigation Department, stressed that alongside stepped-up public awareness campaigns, police forces are actively expanding grassroots-level drug prevention models. Many of these community initiatives have delivered tangible results, including programs like “drug-free border communes” and “anti-drug crime clubs”. Mass movements for national security protection, neighborhood self-governance groups, and drug-free communities, from clans to villages, have also been strengthened and widely promoted..

Drugs bring both immediate and long-term consequences. Beyond the personal destruction they cause, drug abuse fuels broader societal threats. To help build drug-free communities and drive narcotics out of residential areas, authorities are urging local Party committees, governments at all levels, agencies, organizations, and citizens to stay vigilant and proactive in drug prevention efforts. In particular, people are encouraged to report any illegal cultivation, sale, transport, possession, or use of narcotics to the police or local authorities, contributing to grassroots security and order.